Habituation is a key component of human nature, and knowing how to manipulate it can make the things you enjoy even better
Imagine you’re out for dinner at your favourite restaurant and the waiter seats you at the best table. It is nice and quiet, so you can have a pleasant conversation with your partner. The table is also right next to a window with great views. You drink your wine and enjoy some delicious food. The dinner lasts a couple of hours. Do you think you’d enjoy the evening more if you sat at the nice table the whole time, or if you were occasionally sent to the back of the restaurant where it was crowded and noisy?
“Well, that’s a stupid question,” you’re probably thinking. Who would want to go somewhere rowdy if they had a lovely spot exactly where they were? That’s certainly what intuition suggests. But it’s wrong. Studies show that people enjoy good things in life (like listening to music or getting a relaxing massage) more if they break them up into smaller pieces.
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